


I Shiver as the Cold Wind Blows

by sailorartemis



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Semblances (RWBY), Bittersweet Ending, F/M, James' part isn't actually that big sorry, Light Angst, Oneshot, Sad, Zombie Apocalypse, not much gore, the snowbird is very light so don't @ me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:23:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28869993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sailorartemis/pseuds/sailorartemis
Summary: Winter Schnee is, has been, and always will be James Ironwood's most trusted police Lieutenant. If only she could discover herself past that.Qrow Branwen is, has been, and always will be alone and scared of ruining what little he has. If only he had the courage to be more than that.A zombie au oneshot exploring the two of them meeting by chance and potentially realizing that maybe they're exactly what the other needs.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Winter Schnee
Comments: 1
Kudos: 11





	I Shiver as the Cold Wind Blows

_ In the pines, in the pines _

_ Where the sun never shines _

_ We shiver as the cold wind blows. _

Winter sighed, strapping her gun to her belt. “I’ll be back soon, James, I promise.” She turned back to her captain. Well, former captain. After the city fell he’d given up on the title. “Don’t worry, it won’t take long.”

The captain looked up at her with a weak smile. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Winter.” He lifted his hand from his wound, wincing as he looked at it. A large gash, and thankfully, not a bite. He placed his hand back, covering the wound.

“Please be careful, Captain,” Winter said, rushing to his side. “You need to keep pressure on it until I get back.”

He waved her off. “I know, I know. And please, Winter. I’ve told you to call me James.”

“I know…” She sighed, standing back up. “Old habits die hard.” She grabbed her bag, slinging it over her shoulder. “I’ll be back. Take care. Please.”

“I will,” Ironwood responded. “Now enough of this. Hurry up so you can be back in time for dinner.”

“Yes, sir.” She smiled, backing up. “Maybe I’ll even bring back something nice for tonight if I can find anything.”

“I’d really like that, Winter.”

She waved goodbye and backed up. She quickly ran downstairs, checking the door’s peephole before opening it and slipping out of the house they were staying in.

Winter Schnee came from a rich family, an old legacy founded back in the days of oil and railroads and industrialization. She didn’t think about the past much, honestly. It wasn’t important to her. When the time came for her to take a job with the company, she denounced the dynasty and her role as heir in favor of joining the city’s police department. She quickly moved up in her line of work, becoming Police Captain James Ironwood’s second in command.

He was the paternal figure she’d never had, the father she needed. Winter had grown to need him more than she needed air itself.

_ The longest train I ever saw _

_ Went down that Georgia line. _

_ The engine passed at six o’clock _

_ And the cab went by at nine. _

Qrow hauled the cart’s door open, hopping out of the little train car he called home. He took another swig of the liquor bottle in his hand before setting it down.

“Shit,” he mumbled, his hand brushing against his ever-growing beard. He really needed to shave.

Groaning, he climbed back into his train car, digging through piles of clothes and beer bottles to find his razor. Managing to find it, he pulled it out. All rusted. “Shit,” he said again. “Guess I’m not shaving…” He tossed it back in the pile and hopped back out of the cart. 

“Alright, best friend. What time is it?” He looked down at his watch/best friend, amazed that it was only two PM. “Huh, earlier than usual. Guess I can get an early start on the day.”

He got started on his daily routine. It was pretty basic. Checking the traps for small animals, watering the few little plants he kept. He was almost self sustained, but didn’t get enough food from his traps and small farm alone. Once a week he made a quick supply run to get what he needed. Technically he didn’t need to go for another day, but he was up early- for himself at least, and hadn’t caught anything in the traps.

Making up his mind to do his supply run today, he quickly gathered his things and prepared himself to head into town.

Qrow hadn’t always lived alone in a sad little train car. He used to stay with his friends, but one by one they all left. Raven left long before the outbreak, after giving birth. Summer passed away when the kids were little, declared MIA in the line of fire. Soon his nieces grew up and left for school. His former brother in law, Taiyang, was left alone and Qrow? Qrow thought it was all his fault.

He disappeared soon after but tried to keep in touch. When the outbreak happened he completely lost contact and never had the strength to go back and find Tai.

So here he was. Alone. Qrow hadn’t seen another real human in months.

_ I asked my captain for the time of day, _

_ He said he threw his watch away. _

_ A long steel rail and a short cross tie, _

_ I’m on my way back home. _

Winter walked down the street, axe in hand in case anything decided to jump out at her. The street she was on seemed clear, thankfully, though cars still covered the streets. A remnant of the world they once knew. 

She sighed, continuing forward despite the sad scene. Open car doors, bloody fabric caught in everything it could be caught in. Not to mention all of the decaying bodies. Those who were shot before they could turn. Those lucky bastards.

She crossed in front of a car, jumping when the corpse in the driver’s seat attempted to lunge at her. She breathed a little sigh of relief upon realizing the zombie was buckled in and unable to escape. Still, Winter got away as soon as possible, unwilling to risk attracting more monsters to her location.

The former lieutenant adjusted the bag on her back and kept moving forward. She could see the pharmacy she wanted to investigate all the way at the end of the street. 

And right at the intersection where that corner store was located was an entire group of monsters beginning to sprint down the street. 

Originally she was confused as to why they were running, until she realized that the one in front wasn’t a living corpse, but an actual person. Her eyes widened as she felt herself begin sprinting in the mysterious man’s direction. There it was, her desperate desire to help rather than just run.

“HEY YOU! OVER HERE!” She waved her arms and once she had his attention, ran straight for the convenience store and pharmacy.

_ Little girl, little girl _

_ Don’t lie to me _

_ Tell me where did you sleep last night? _

_ In the pines, in the pines _

_ Where the sun never shines _

_ We shiver as the cold wind blows. _

“I’m a cursed black cat, I’m an albatross, I’m a mirror broken…”

Qrow quietly sang to himself as he moved down the street, though it quickly devolved into humming as he got closer to the remains of civilization. Just in case.

He eyed the messy roads. The bloodstains, the lost belongings strewn about over the street. It was sad, but that’s just the way things were. It didn’t really affect him anymore. Not even the corpses and the few remaining bloodstains. Sure it was disgusting, but he didn’t have the time to mourn.

Even if he needed to.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of something hobbling out of the alleyway.

“Shit…”

Of course it was a zombie. Thankfully it was just one. Easy. He pulled out a knife from his leg holster, quickly running up behind the creature and stabbing it in the head. Qrow yanked it back out once the zombie stopped moving, wiping the blood off on his jeans before slipping it back in.

“Good riddance,” he muttered before continuing his walk. 

Stores lined the street, but there was nothing useful for a while. He could see a bakery coming up on the left, along with a convenience store up ahead. He’d stop at both, though he hoped to find something packaged and really unhealthy left in there. This street had been a mess for a while and was finally clearing out, the zombies migrating out of the area as they started to get thinner and thinner from a lack of real bodies to feed on.

That didn’t mean it was completely safe, however. Some of the dumb ones still lingered, scouring the empty streets for any sign of life.

A few of those dead idiots were behind Qrow now, finally gaining his attention with a groan as it stepped out from the alleyway about two buildings back.

“Just my luck,” he muttered, grabbing his knife and preparing to attack the creature. “Come and get me, you freak!” He prepared to attack it, but stopped when a few more poured out from the darkness. He pulled back, grabbing his gun off his belt. 

Well at least they were just shamblers. 

Just then, one of them lunged, preparing to sprint towards him.

“Not shamblers. Got it.” He started running, the not-shamblers on his tail. 

Their growls seemed to be attracting the rest of the monsters in the area, a mix of runners and shamblers heeding the call and beginning to center on his location. 

All Qrow could do was sprint and hope to find a building that looked like good shelter.

“HEY YOU! OVER HERE!”

He turned his head towards the noise, spotting a woman waving him towards the convenience store. He had a bit longer to sprint, but it seemed like a good spot to stop, especially if someone was here to help him.

Qrow followed the strange woman to the corner store, sliding inside as she held the door open. As she slammed the door shut on the monsters, Qrow assisted in knocking over a display in front of the door, blocking the thrashing creatures from getting into the store.

After the first display was down, the woman backed up from the door and started to assist Qrow in blocking it off. 

Soon the entire door was blocked off by large structures and displays from the front area of the store, leaving the two of them blocked in with zombies pounding on the door they came through.

_ My daddy was a railroad man, _

_ Worked a mile and a half out of town. _

_ His head was stuck in the driving gear, _

_ His body was never found. _

Winter huffed and sat down, leaning back against a display they hadn’t touched. She took a few deep breaths, regaining her energy after sprinting and frantically blocking the door.

“Thanks for helping me,” the man said, taking a seat beside her. 

“Huh?” She turned to look at him, studying the man. “Not too familiar with this area, huh? They’re a lot easier to manage if you know their patterns.”

He nodded, taking a deep breath. “Yeah. This is my first time in the area since things fell.” 

“My cap- Uh, a friend of mine and I come here often. We used to be police officers, this stuff is our specialty. We have the entire area charted. I guess sometimes I forget there are people who aren’t as familiar with the area.”

He turned to look at the door. Winter watched him wince as one of the displays rattled a bit.

“I guess maybe we should start moving. At least to a back room, maybe. Somewhere they can’t smell or see us as easily.”

The man nodded and stood, holding out a hand for her. She took it and he helped her to her feet.

The two moved to the back room, relieved to find it empty.

“Huh, maybe we should have checked this place before sitting down?” He turned to her, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I guess we should have. At least it’s empty. Lucky for us, right?” Winter turned to him, shrugging. Too late now..

The man scratched his head awkwardly. “Yeah… Lucky.”

Winter thought his reaction was strange, but said nothing, choosing to move on to introductions instead. “I’m Winter. Lieutenant Winter Schnee, formerly.”

_ Little girl, little girl _

_ What have I done _

_ That makes you treat me so? _

_ You’ve caused me to weep _

_ You’ve caused me to mourn _

_ You’ve caused me to lose my home. _

Qrow sat down in a metal chair in the corner, raising an eyebrow. “Qrow Branwen.” He looked over the woman, frowning. “I guess I should have pieced that together with your hair and all. You’re that Schnee. The special one.”

She nodded. “Something like that.”

Qrow frowned, realizing she seemed uncomfortable. Maybe talking about her family wasn’t the best idea. He chose to change the subject instead. “So… What are you doing here? Supply run? Need some more hairspray to keep your hair in that bun?”

Winter raised a hand to her head, patting her bun. Qrow chuckled a bit upon realizing that she was making sure her hair was in pristine condition.

“No, I’m here to find some medical supplies,” she responded. “My friend, Captain Ironwood, got cut on some metal during our last run. I’m here to get him some bandages. We’re fresh out at home.”

“Home?” Qrow raised an eyebrow. What a strange way to refer to shelter. “I don’t know if any place could be called a home anymore…”

“It’s a home if you like it there,” she responded. “Sure, the doors are boarded up and every window is covered in old newspaper, but I enjoy staying there. I’m happy there, so it’s home. Where do you stay?” She raised an eyebrow.

Qrow sighed, looking away. “There’s a train that got stuck just outside town up north. Nothing fancy, just used to transport stuff. Had to put down the conductor but that was it. Now I live in one of the carts. Set some plants and traps up outside and… That’s where I stay. It’s not a home.”

She frowned. Qrow turned to look at her, worried she might be judging him or feeling bad for him. “There are worse places,” he added on. “And I’m not dead, so that counts for something.”

She nodded in agreement. “You’re right about that, I suppose. Things could always be worse.”

Things were silent for a moment, leading Qrow to stand up and poke his head out of the spare room they were in. “They’re gone,” he commented, motioning for her to come. “Must have heard something else.”

Winter joined him, the two now leaving the spare room. “I suppose we should search for our supplies then, yes?”

Qrow nodded, beginning to walk through the aisles. “Surprising amount of stuff here. This whole place really did go to shit before it could get fully looted.” A lot of stuff was still missing, of course. Larger items, bread, anything that seemed remotely sustainable. But the snack cakes and candy bars Qrow was so desperate for? Still there. He started stuffing his bag before turning to Winter, who was in the back area, looking through the pharmacy area.

After taking what he wanted, he hopped over the pharmacy counter and joined her in the back. The things that were missing were, just like the front, very specific. Broken syringes that were probably flu vaccines, a lack of cold medicine, nausea medicine. Anything that people thought would cure the virus or ease the early side effects. 

Winter turned to face him, placing some more bandages in her bag. “It’s so eerie. It looks like this place was torn apart, but it was so early and such a fast process that people were still selective about it. And now here we are. Some of the last few survivors with free access to the supplies they need. There aren’t many places you get this…” She paused, seeming to ponder something. “There aren’t many places you can find these things.”

She was right. Most places didn’t have this much stuff left. Qrow turned to look out the window, spotting the sun further in the sky than before. He had to leave before sundown if he wanted to get home safely. “Do you and your fancy charts know a safe way out of this place?”

_ In the pines, in the pines _

_ Where the sun will never shine _

He was already ready to leave? Winter couldn’t help but be a bit sad, actually. She hadn’t seen anyone other than James in a while. And yes, James was great, but… But she’d made a new friend. “Yeah, we do. Would you like to come home with me? Maybe not be alone..?” She asked, placing some more supplies in her bag.

Qrow stood there silently for a moment. “No, I shouldn’t. I have a lot of important stuff at home. I’d, uh, have to get that all together if I wanted to go somewhere else.”

Winter could tell that wasn’t the truth, but she didn’t say anything. Still the disappointment was there. “I see. It’s alright. We all have things to return to.” She watched him awkwardly nod in agreement before continuing. “You know, we have spare copies of the maps at home. You can have this one if you’d like.”

She pulled it out of her bag’s side pocket, handing it to him.

“Are you sure?” He asked, not yet taking it.

“Absolutely, Qrow.” She watched him take it, giving him a little smile of encouragement. Qrow took the map, staring at Winter. She raised an eyebrow, speaking again. “You alright there? It’s just a map, you don’t need to feel bad.”

The man shook himself out of his stupor. “Yeah, sorry… No one’s said my name in a long time. And… you’re the first person I’ve seen smile in what feels like forever.”

Winter’s smile grew. “I’m glad I could give you that.”

_ We shiver as the cold wind blows _

Qrow nodded, backing up. Maybe it was because he hadn’t seen a real person in forever, but he actually really liked her. And if he wasn’t so horrified, he’d want to stay with her. Huh… it felt a bit like a crush. A dumb feeling, but a happy one.

“Thank you, Winter,” he said. “Maybe we’ll cross paths again one day.” He waved goodbye, watching her do the same. 

He left her now, glad to have made a friend. Of course the chances of seeing her again were slim. But as he walked the dark alleys and followed her map out, he couldn’t help but think about her smile. The way she called her shelter home, the way she helped him when she didn’t need too.

He would have died or run into danger if she hadn’t stepped in.

She was nice and didn’t seem to care that he was leading around zombies like a moron.

He liked her.

If only he had the courage to stay.

_ We shiver as the cold wind blows _

“I’m back, Captain.” Winter closed the door to the house, blocking it off again.

Ironwood was sitting in the living room still, pressure kept on his wound. “Back in time for dinner? I’m glad. Did you pick up anything good for us?”

Winter froze, realizing she’d completely forgotten about that. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was so caught up in getting you medicine.” She went to his side, pulling out a set of bandages and the painkillers she had. “Alright, take these and I’ll wrap you up.” She handed him the box of painkillers, letting him open it as she sat him upright. Winter bent down beside him, beginning to wrap the bandages around the wound in his side. 

“Don’t worry about it. We still have some jerky in the kitchen,” he responded before quickly swallowing the painkillers she gave him.

“Jerky again? If I didn’t just come from the store, I’d say we need to make another run for something new.”

Something new.

Maybe she should have insisted. At least brought him over for dinner. Maybe she’d go visit him… He was just at the train tracks to the north, after all.

But she couldn’t leave out of nowhere. James needed her here. She couldn’t leave him, not even temporarily.

Forever his Lieutenant, forever loyal.

Forever alone.

_ I shiver as the cold wind blows... _

**Author's Note:**

> Hey I hoped you like it! This is just a one shot but if you're interested in seeing any more of this explored, please comment below and share your thoughts!


End file.
